Mysteries of Pentecost...
Countdown to Pentecost & the Kingdom of God

The Day of Pentecost is a prophetic masterkey for understanding God's plan of Salvation, and a countdown to the return of Jesus ("Yahoshua," Hebrew name meaning Eternal the Savior), the Christ (Messiah), and restoration of the Kingdom of God on the earth. It reveals what God is doing on the earth today and will do in the near future, and identifies the ONE TRUE RELIGION and CHURCH of GOD, distinguishing it from the multitude of mankind's religions and churches (see Mystery of Pentecost...The One True Religion & Church of God).

So why is it important to keep it, and keep it on the right day each year? And why all the confusion on what day God appointed it to be kept?

Who is right? Does it make any difference?

The New Testament church was founded and received the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 1:4-5,8; 2:1-4,14-21,33-43,47). But is Pentecost just a Jewish Old Testament festival, no longer required, or is it necessary for true believers in God and the Bible to still keep it today, and if so, when?

"The Lord (Yahveh - meaning the Eternal) spoke to Moses, saying, 'Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: "The feasts ("moed" - appointed times, appointments) of the Eternal, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts... These are the feasts of the Eternal, holy convocations which you shall proclaim at their appointed times"(Lev 23:1-4).

Pentecost is a feast ("Moed" appointment) of the Eternal God, not just a Jewish feastival. "And you shall proclaim...that it is a holy convocation (time to assemble before God) to you. You shall do no customary work on it. It shall be a statute forever in all your generations" (Lev 23:15...21).

When then must it be kept? Some say...count Pentecost after Passover from the marrow after the Sabbath within the days of Unleavened Bread...

Many say...count 50 days beginning with the day after the first Holy Day (High Sabbath) of Unleavened Bread to the 6th of Sivan (3rd month of the Hebrew calendar), a set day of the Hebrew month every year...

Others say...count after Passover from the morrow after the Sabbath, but not necessarily the morrow within the days of unleavened bread...

And some say we can't understand...it's not important...

We should be aware of the warnings God gives in the Scriptures...To be diligent and "not neglect so great a salvation" (Heb 2:1-3 - see Are You Denying the Messiah (Christ) and Neglecting Salvation?), and...

"Take heed that no one deceives you" (Mat 24:4; Col 2:4,8)...Or that we deceive ourselves (Mat 7:21-23; 1 Cor 3:18)...

"knowing...that no prophecy (God inspired teaching) of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit" (2 Pet 1:20-21)...

"But...there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies... And many will follow their destructive ways... By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words" (2 Pet 2:1-3)...

"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but [according to their own desires] shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and [be turned aside] to fables" (2 Tim 4:3)...

"Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them" (Acts 20:30; see 1 Tim 6:3-5)...

The Holy Scriptures admonish us to

"be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises" (Heb 6:12...),
and that we should "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good" (2 Thes 5:21).

Can you understand?

Jesus Christ said you can! How? You don't have to be a scholar to understand. He said,

"...the Holy Spirit...(the Spirit of Truth) will teach you all things" (John 14:17,25)... "when...the Spirit of Truth, has come, it will guide you into all truth" (John 16:13).

"because You have hid these things from the wise and prudent (vain scholars), and have revealed them unto babes" (Mat 11:25).

Why is it important to know?

When God made a covenant with Israel, He gave to them:

"The feasts of the Lord, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts...
"These feasts of the Lord (Yahveh, Jehovah) are holy convocations, which you shall proclaim in their seasons (appointed times)" (Lev 23:2,4).

The word "holy" (Hebrew "qodesh") means sanctified or set apart for God's special purpose. God's Holy Days, "feasts of the Lord" include His weekly Sabbaths and 7 annual feasts (appointed times or Holy Days), summarized in Leviticus 23.

God's Holy Days are special Sabbaths (times to rest from our own labors and pleasures and gather together in holy convocations with God and His people). They are to be kept at their appointed times in their seasons according to God's biblical Holy Day calendar (Gen 1:14; Ex 12:2; 34:21-23; Lev 23:2-4; Psa 81:3; see also Biblical Calendar). God ordained special times that corresponded to the agricultural seasons and harvests in Judea as physical types to reveal His spiritual harvests. They reveal God's masterplan of salvation for all mankind, His spiritual harvests.

"Three times you shall keep a feast ("chagag," annual celebration) unto Me in the year: "You shall keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread...at the time appointed in the month Abib, for in it you came out of Egypt...
"and the Feast of Harvest of the firstfruits of your labors which you have sown in the field; and the Feast of Ingathering at the end ("yatsa," going out) of the year, when you have gathered in your labors from the field" (Ex 23:14-16).

The correct time for keeping all of the "feasts ("moed," appointed times) of the Lord," including Pentecost, are determined from the first month (called Abib or Nisan) of the new year in the spring. The first two Holy Days, the Passover and Days of Unleavened Bread, occur after the spring equinox in the first month of the new year (see When is Passover?)

"Now the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron...saying, 'This month shall be the first month of the year to you.
"...'On the tenth day of this month every man shall take for himself a lamb, according to the house of his father...
"Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year...
"Now you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month. Then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it [between the two evenings]" (Ex 12:1-6).
"Observe the month of Abib (meaning green, tender, as in springtime), and keep the Passover to the Lord your God...
"you shall sacrifice the Passover to the Lord your God...in the place where the Lord chooses to put His name...
"there you shall sacrifice the Passover at even, at the going down of the sun, in the season ("moed," appointed time) you came out of Egypt" (Deut 16:1-2,6).
"On the 14th day of the first month [between the two evenings] is the Lord's Passover.
"And on the 15 day of the same month is the Feast of Unleavend Bread to the Lord; seven days you must eat unleavened bread.
"On the first day you shall have a holy convocation; you shall do no customary work on it...
"The seventh day shall be a holy convocation; you shall do no customary work on it" (Lev 23:5-8).

The third feast of the Lord is Pentecost. Its date must be counted from the time of the Wave Sheaf offering during the Days of Unleavened Bread.

In the OT, Pentecost is called the Feast of Harvest (Ex 23:16), the Day of Firstfruits (Ex 23:16; 34:22; Num 28:26; Lev 23:17), and the Feast of Weeks (Ex 34:22; Num 28:26; Deut 16:10,16; 2 Chron 8:13). Seven weeks and a day must be counted beginning on the morrow after the Sabbath "from the time you begin to put the sickle to the grain" (Deut 16:9), which was when the wave sheaf was offered, to the morrow after the 7th Sabbath - a total of 50 days (7 x 7 = 49 + 1 = 50 days - Lev 23:11,15-16).

In the NT the feast of weeks or firstfruits is called the feast of Pentecost. In the Greek language of the NT, "pentekoste" means fiftieth (50th). Seven full weeks (7 x 7 = 49 plus a day = 50) must be counted from the time of the wave sheaf offering on the morrow after the Sabbath to Pentecost.

What is so difficult about counting Pentecost?

Counting to Pentecost must begin on the first day after the Sabbath, after the Passover, during the Days of Unleavened Bread. Most of the confusion arises over the precise meaning of Sabbath and which day the Wave Sheaf was to be offered and therefore when to begin counting.

Leviticus 23:10 and 11 says,

"When you come into the land which I give to you, and reap its harvest, then you shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest. He shall wave the sheaf before the Lord, to be accepted on your behalf; on the day after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it."
Then in verses 15 and 16: "And you shall count for yourselves from the day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering: seven Sabbaths shall be completed. Count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath."

The question some have is, what is meant by Sabbath? The 15th of Nisan, the first Day of Unleavened Bread is a Sabbath High Day. Do you begin counting on the 16th of Nisan, the day after the Sabbath High Day, as some do? Or do you begin counting on Sunday, the day after the weekly Sabbath (the seventh day of the week)?

If Sabbath means the seventh day weekly Sabbath, the day after which weekly Sabbath do you begin counting on? For instance, if the 14th, Passover, is on a Sabbath, do you begin counting the next day, Sunday the first day of the week, which would be the 15th of Nisan - a Sabbath High Day beginning the Feast of Unleavened Bread? Or do you count from the 22nd of Nisan, the day after the next Sabbath, which in that situation would be the day after the Feast of Unleavened Bread is over?

What is so significant about the wave sheaf offering and the time it was to be offered? Does the Bible give us any clear answers? Is it really important to count Pentecost accurately and keep the right day?

After 40 years in the wilderness, Israel came into the land God gave them. Lev 23:10 and Joshua 5:10-12 reveal that the wave sheaf was to be offered after Passover (the Passover always occurs on the 14th of the first month - Abib or Nisan - of the new year).

Why after the Passover? The Passover is the first step in God's plan of salvation, representing our deliverance from sin as illustrated by the first Passover and the exodus of Israel from Egypt (see "Passover...The Beginning of Salvation"). The sacrifice of the Passover lamb on the 14th pointed to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the firstborn Son of God, to deliver us from our sins.

Why the Wave Sheaf offering?

The Wave Sheaf offering represented Jesus (Yahoshua, meaning Eternal the Savior) Christ (the Messiah, Anointed One) as the first of the firstfruits (1 Cor 15:20). The firstfruits are the first harvest of salvation which will occur at the first resurrection (Rev 20:5-6). After giving His life as the Passover Lamb and after His resurrection during the days of Unleavened Bread, Jesus ascended to heaven as the Wave Sheaf offering to present Himself (with His blood) to be accepted by God the Father for our redemption (Lev 23:11; Heb 9:12) and He became the first of the firstfruits of the spiritual harvest of mankind, "the firstborn among many brethren" (Rom 8:29) into the Kingdom of God (1 Cor 15:20; Heb 2:9-18).

"When you come into the land which I give to you, and (you) reap its harvest, then you shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest. He shall wave the sheaf before the Lord, to be accepted on your behalf; on the day after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it" (Lev 23:9-11).

The spiritual significance of keeping the right days is revealed is several places in the Scriptures and in the special meaning of Pentecost, the Feast of Firstfruits, itself.

The firstfruits represent the first harvest in God's plan of salvation (James 1:18; Rev 14:4). Israel was to be God's firstfruits, but because of disobedience, most have been cut off from salvation until a later harvest (Jer 2:3; Rom 11:7,11-12,16,19-32).

The NT Church of God is called the "Israel of God" (Gal 6:16), the "Church of the firstborn" (Heb 12:23) and they are represented as having the "firstfruits of the Spirit" (Rom 8:23). Jesus Christ is the Author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him and they will become the firstfruits in God's plan of salvation (Heb 5:9; Rev 14:4).

The firstfruits are those who have the Spirit of God and keep His commandments and appointments (Rom 8:9; Rev 14:4; 17:14).

God sanctified (set apart) the weekly Sabbath, the 7th day of the week (Gen 2:2-3), and He commanded man to keep His Sabbaths holy...(Ex 20:8; Deut 5:12). The Sabbaths are a sign of who God is and who His people are (Ex 31:13-17). Any who will not keep them are cutting themselves off from God (Isa 59:1-2).

The Sabbaths are a time we are to cease or rest from our own labors and pursuits to worship and fellowship with God and Christ and His people (Heb 10:23-25; 1 John 1:3). It is a time God reserved to teach His people His laws and wisdom, and to reveal His plans and purposes to them (Psa 19:7-11; John 15:14-15).

Less understood by many is that God's Holy Day feasts are also called God's Sabbaths, and are in some places referred to as the High Days (John 19:31). And that the weekly Sabbaths are also called His feasts or Holy Days (Lev 23:2-4), which translated in the OT from the Heb. "moed," means appointments or appointed times. In other words, Gods Sabbaths and Feasts are appointments or appointed times God has sanctified (set apart) to meet with His people. Jesus Christ said He is Lord of the Sabbath (Mark 2:27-28).

God did not sanctify Friday or Sunday or any other day except the 7th day as the weekly Sabbath, nor did He sanctify any day as Holy other than those recorded in the Holy Scriptures. Christmas, Valentines day, Easter, May Day, Halloween and all the other holidays established by man are not God's feasts or Holy Days (appointments), holy to God. They are "traditions of men" (Mat 15:2-3,6-9; Col 2:8), which God says,

"I hate, I despise your feast days..." (Amos 5:21; Isa 1:14).
He warns, "Beware lest anyone [seduce] you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ" (Col 2:8). Because they turn many away to follow other gods that cannot save (Isa 45:20-22).

God gives explicit instructions in His Word, the Holy Scriptures, as to when and how to keep His Holy Days. His people are expected to study, know and live by the Scriptures (Mat 4:4; 2 Tim 2:15) and to keep the days that God has set apart as holy. And if there is confusion as to which days should be kept, Jesus sends the Holy Spirit to those who will obey Him (Acts 5:32) to lead them to understand all truth (John 14:15-17, 26; 16:7-14; 1 John 2:26-27).

God also gives servants to teach us (Eph 4:11), but we are responsible to use the Holy Spirit God has made available for us to study and prove all things (1 Thes 5:21) and discern between God's true servants and deceivers (2 Thes 2:3,9-17; 2 Cor 11:13-15; 1 John 4:1-6).

And why is this important? What does God say about those who don't keep their invitation to His appointments, to keep His feasts?

Those who forsook His Sabbaths cut themselves off from God (Ex 31:13-14). In the New Testament, Jesus in a parable said that those who didn't keep their invitation to His wedding feast "were not worthy" (Mat 22:8).

"For many are called, but few are chosen" (Mat 22:1-14).
In another place He asks, "But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do the things which I say" (Lk 6:46).
"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied (preached) in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'" (Mat 7:21-23).

Why count Pentecost every year?

Now why do we need to count Pentecost every year and how do we count it? What do the Scriptures say?

All of God's feasts are on a specific day of the month in their appointed seasons, which doesn't change each year. Therefore they do not need to be counted because they were appointed on a set day of the month (after a new moon) every year. But contrary to the opinion of some, Pentecost is not! Therefore, the time of Pentecost must be counted every year.

"And you shall count for yourselves from the day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering: seven Sabbbaths shall be completed. Count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath" (Lev 23:15-16).

Pentecost, according to the Scriptures, is the only feast keyed to the weekly Sabbath cycle, that is it always occurs on the same day of the week each year, "on the day after the (weekly) Sabbath," which is the first day of the week - Sunday - but not on the same day of the month each year. Why is this? The Sabbath is a proof of the Creator God (Gen 2:1-3; Ex 20:8-11) and a test commandment identifying the people and church ("ekklesia," called-out ones) of God (Ex 16:4,23-30; 31:13; Mk 2:27-28; John 8:31; Heb 3:7-19; 4:1-13).

What are the proofs?

How do we know that Pentecost must always be counted beginning on the day after a weekly Sabbath, and during the days of Unleavened Bread, as most of the Sadducees in Christ's time taught? That it is a weekly Sabbath should be obvious because Leviticus says explicitly,

"You shall count for yourselves from the day after the Sabbath ("shabbath")... seven Sabbaths ("shabbath," plural form) shall be completed. Count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath ("shabbath")" (Lev 23:15).

"Be ready for the third day. For in the third day the Lord will come down upon Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people" (Ex 19:11).

"Seven weeks ("shabua") shall you count for yourself; begin to count the seven weeks from the time you begin to put the sickle to the grain" (Deut 16:9), which could not begin until the wave sheaf was offered (Lev 23:10,14).

Two examples in the Scriptures also make it clear that Pentecost must be counted from the day after the weekly Sabbath within the Days of Unleavened Bread and the 50th day always occurs on the first day of the week, and not from the 16th (a High Day Sabbath) of Nisan to the 6th of Sivan every year.

As we already read in Leveticus 23:10 and 11, The wave sheaf was to begin being offered when they

"come into the land...and reap its harvest, then you shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest." And "He shall wave the sheaf before the Lord...on the day after the Sabbath..."

"You shall eat neither bread nor parched grain nor fresh grain until the same day that you have brought an offering to your God; it shall be a statute forever..."

The first time the wave sheaf could be offered occurred when Israel came into the promised land. Shortly after they miraculously crossed over the Jordan river,

"the children of Israel camped in Gilgal, and kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month in the evening on the plains of Jericho.
"And they ate the produce of the land on the day after the Passover, unleavened bread and parched grain, on the very same day.
"Now the manna ceased on the day after they had eaten the produce of the land; and the children of Israel no longer had manna, but they ate the food of the land of Canaan that year" (Josh 5:10-12).

Before they could eat the harvest of the land, they had to "bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of (their) harvest to the priest" (Lev 23:10,14). Since they ate the produce of the land on the day after the Passover, the 15th of Nisan, they had to offer the Wave Sheaf offering on that same day before they could eat the "produce of the land...unleavened bread and parched grain." Therefore the 15th of Nisan (Abib) that year was the first day of the week, "the day after the (weekly) Sabbath," and also a High Day Sabbath beginning the Days of Unleavened Bread (see Calendar of Joshua's time).

Because they did not wait until the 16th, the day after the High Day Sabbath of the 15th of Nisan, as some do to begin their counting Pentecost, this proves that the Sabbaths referred to in Leviticus 23:11,15-16 are weekly Sabbaths and not the Sabbath High Day on the 15th of Nisan.

The example given in Joshua 5:10-12 therefore proves that the day we are to begin counting Pentecost is the day after the weekly Sabbath even when that Sabbath is the Passover, the 14th of Nisan, and that the Wave Sheaf offering is always within the Days of Unleavened Bread.

Some, however, begin counting Pentecost the day after the next Sabbath when the Passover is on a Sabbath, which would put the Wave Sheaf offering and begin the count on the day after the Days of Unleavened Bread. But as this example reveals the manna ceased on the 16th. If they had waited to offer the Wave Sheaf on the morrow after the next weekly Sabbath (the 22nd), after the Days of Unleavend Bread were completed, they would have been without food for 6 days and complained bitterly.

The other example proving that the Sabbaths referred to in Leviticus 23:11,15-16 are weekly Sabbaths within the Days of Unleavened Bread is in the New Testament example of Jesus Christ who was both the Lamb of the Passover sacrifice and the Wave Sheaf offering. Jesus was crucified on the afternoon of Wednesday, the 14th of Nisan, according to the Scriptures (Ex 12:6; Lk 24:44). He was resurrected exactly 3 days and 3 nights later (Mat 12:38-40), near the end of the weekly Sabbath (Mat 12:38-40; 27:62-66; 28:1-6) during the Days of Unleavened Bread and ascended to God the Father as the Wave Sheaf offering "on the first day of the week" (John 20:1,17-21), "to be accepted on [our] behalf," to fulfill the Scriptures (Lev 23:11; Heb 9:11-12,24 - see Calendar for 31 AD and Good Friday Easter Sunday Dilemma).

Jesus, after ascending to God as the Wave Sheaf offering, returned and instructed His disciples for 40 days and

"He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, 'which,' He said, 'you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now'" (Acts 1:4-5).
"Then they returned to Jerusalem... they went into an upper room where they were staying... These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication..." (vs. 12-14).

They had counted and kept Pentecost as Jesus commanded them.

"Now when the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
"And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.
"Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them.
"And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance" (Acts 2:1-4).

Pentecost - Prophetic Countdown to the Kingdom of God

Adam and Eve had the perfect idyllic life in the Garden in Eden (meaning paradise, garden of God's Pleasure - see Searching For Eden). But when Satan (meaning Adversary) tempted them, they had not proven God's wisdom by experience and were deceived by their pride and curiosity and rebelled, chosing to follow Satan and decide for themselves what was good or evil (Gen 2:17; 3:3-7; Prov 8:13,32-36; 13:10; 14:12; 16:18,25; 29:23; Mk 7:20-22; 1 Tim 3:6; 1 John 2:16). Then because they would not humble themselves and repent and submit to God's instruction and government over them, they were then evicted from the Garden and cut off from free access to the Tree of Life - representing the source of truth, love, power and eternal life (Gen 3:22-24; John 16:13; Rom 8:11; 1 Cor 12:4-11; Gal 5:22; Eph 2:18; 2 Tim 1:7; Rev 2:7; 21:6-7; 22:14). The result was Satan remained as the "god of this world ("aion," age)," "and death spread to all mankind because all sinned" (Rom 5:12-14,17-21; 2 Cor 4:3-4; 11:3-4,13-15; Eph 2:1-3; Rev 12:9-12). Mankind then began to establish their own governments, religions, laws, educational systems and cultures, based on a mixed confusion of true and false knowledge represented by the tree of the knowledge of good and evil - representing Satan's ways (John 8:44-45; 2 Cor 4:3-4; Eph 2:1-3; Gen 2:17; 11:6,9; 1 Tim 6:20-21; Rev 17:1-5), which we see to this day (see Mankind's Greatest Experiment).

Time for plan "B." Adam's rebellion was no surprise, God had to allow man's character to be tested before he could replace Satan as ruler over the earth, as was intended, and be given eternal life and power to be co-rulers in the Family of God over all things (Gen 1:26,28; Psa 8:4-9; 1 Cor 6:3; Eph 3:8-19; Heb 2:5-8; Rev 21:7). But they failed - curses and death are the result (Gen 2:17; Deut 28:1-2,15; Eze 18:4,20; Rom 5:12; 6:23; Heb 9:27).

Plan "B" is God's plan for the salvation of mankind, which God revealed to Adam and Eve (Gen 3:15; Eph 1:4-14; 1 Pet 1:1-25). From this point God began to call and test individuals to whom He would give His Spirit to obey Him (Jer 17:9-10; Eze 11:19-20; John 6:44; Acts 2:37-39; 5:32). They would be called into His Church ("ekklesia,"called out ones), called the church in the wilderness (Acts 7:38), church(es) of God (Acts 20:28; 1 Cor 1:2), churches of Christ (Rom 16:16), church of the firstborn (Heb 12:23), churches of the saints (1 Cor 14:33), churches of Judea...etc. in Christ (Gal 1:22), spiritual Israel of God (Psa 135:4; Isa 41:8-9,14; 45:4-5,17,25; Eze 37:28; Rom 9:6-8; Gal 6:16).

Those called into the spiritual body of God's Church (John 6:44; Acts 2:38-39; 1 Cor 7:17; 12:12-14,27; 1 Thes 2:11-14; 2 Thes 2:13-14; 2 Tim 1:8-12; Heb 5:4; 1 Pet 5:10), the firstfruits of the Spirit (Rom 8:23), are called to become helpers of God to teach the rest of mankind God's ways and to receive salvation and eternal life in the Family and Kingdom of God (Gen 18:17-19; 22:15-18; 26:3-5; Isa 30:20-21; 40:9-11; 41:8; 52:7-10; 58:1; Rev 22:17). They are called the firstborn (Ex 4:22-23; Rom 8:29-30), the firstfruits of salvation who have the firstfruits of the Spirit (Jer 2:3; Rom 8:23; 1 Cor 15:20; Jam 1:18; Rev 14:4-5), a chosen generation and a holy, royal priesthood (1 Pet 2:4-5,9), the elect ("ekletos," chosen - Mat 20:16; 22:14; 24:31; John 15:19; Rom 8:33; Col 3:12; 2 Pet 1:10), kings and priests of God (Ex 19:6; Rev 1:6; 5:10; 20:6), the called, chosen and faithful of God (Rev 17:14), virgins (Mat 25:1-10; Rev 14:4), the bride and wife of Christ (Isa 61:10; John 3:25-31; Rev 19:7-9; 21:2,9; 22:17), sons or children of God (Mat 5:9; Rom 8:16-17,21; 9:25-26; Gal 3:26-29; 1 John 3:1-3,7-10).

Some, including Abel, Seth, Enoch, etc. down to Noah were called before the flood. Afterward God called Shem and some down through Abraham, Issac and Jacob (Israel). And He called the children of Israel out of Egypt to become a kingdom of priests to teach God's laws and the gospel to all nations as a blessing to mankind (Gen 26:2-5; Ex 19:6). God revealed His plan of salvation to those He called through a series of special Sabbath Holy Days (Feasts "moed" - appointed times), revolving around the agricultural seasons and harvests, summarized in Leviticus 23, and by the Sabbath and Jubilee years in Leviticus 25 (see Sabbath and Jubilee Years).

But Satan, continuing as the ruler of this world (age), has been testing God's called people. Jesus said, "Many are called, but few chosen" (Mat 20:16; 22:14; 13:11-23). The people of Israel rebelled time after time, became divided into two nations, Israel and Judah, and were finally scattered into captivity (Isa 5:13,24; Jer 15:1-4...). A remnant were allowed to return to Jerusalem (Jer 29:10; Ezra 3:8; ...) to prepare for the first coming of Yahshua (Jesus), the Messiah (Christ) to fulfill the law and redeem mankind (see The Mystery of Jesus Christ and Passover...The Beginning of salvation).

When Will the Messiah Return?

The Word of the Eternal says, "Surely the Eternal God does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets. A lion has roared! Who will not fear? The eternal has spoken! Who can but prophesy?" Amos 3:7-8).

Daniel's 70 weeks prophecy in Daniel 9:25 pointed specifically to when the Messiah would appear. But most of the religious leaders rejected Yahshua (Jesus) as the Messiah, expecting a King Messiah, not the Lamb of God Messiah (Gen 22:8; Isa 53:1-7; John 1:10-12,29). Judaism continues to reject Yahshua's first coming and falsified their biblical chronology to offset the enigma of Daniel 9:25 prophecy, which points directly to the beginning of Jesus Christ's ministry (see Jewish chronology falsfied) Why Jewish Dating Is Different. After His 3 1/2 year ministry and fulfilling the law of sacrifices paying the penalty for sin to redeem mankind, demonstrating God's love for all mankind, He was cut off (crucified) and resurrected and returned to God who had sent Him as the Eternal Savior (Yahshua) of the world, and the Holy Spirit was given establishing the NT church,(Isa 43:3,11; 45:15-22; 49:26; 53:1-9; Lk 24:1-7; John 3:16; 4:42; 16:28; 19:14-30; Acts 1:8; 2:1-4; Rom 5:1-11; 1 John 4:14).

A prophecy of Hosea indicates Jesus Christ would return again after about 2,000 years. Hosea 4 & 5 tells of God's judgment on Israel and Judah and calling for their repentance before Christ's first coming. And Yahveh (the Lord - Eternal) said, "I will be like a lion to Ephriam, and a young lion to Judah. I, even I will tear ("taraph," pull to pieces as a ravan) and go away; I will take them away, and no one shall rescue. I will return to My place till they acknowledge their offense. Then they will seek My face; in their affliction they will diligently seek Me" (Hos 5:15; John 8:19-21; 14:28-30). Then they shall say, "Come, and let us return to the Lord (Yahveh, the Eternal); for He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up. After two days (2,000 years after Christ returned to heaven - a day is as 1000 years, and 1000 years as a day to God - Psa 90:4; 2 Pet 3:1-15) He will revive us; On the third day (after another 1000 years (the millenium), in the 2nd resurrection - Rev 20:5,11-13) He will raise us up, that we may live in His sight (Eze 37:1-14,23-28). Let us know, let us pursue the knowledge of the Eternal. His going forth is established as the morning; He will come to us like the rain, like the latter and former rain to the earth" (Hos 6:1-3).

The Messiah came the first time, as the Lamb of God (Isa 53), exactly as Isaiah and Daniel prophesied - 69 weeks of Sabbath year cycles counting from when Artaxerxes gave Ezra the command to restore and build Jerusalem in 457 BC Dan 9:24-27; Ezra 7:1,8-27). The 69 Sabbath year weeks x 7 years= 483 years comes to the year 27 AD when Christ began His ministry. 457 BC and 27 AD were Sabbath years, and the fall of 27 AD was the beginning of a Jubilee year (Lk 4:16-21 - see Sabbath and Jubilee Years). Many Jews in Judea were expecting a King Messiah to restore the kingdom of Israel.

Christ's disciples also expected Yahshua (Jesus) to establish the Kingdom soon in their time. However, near the end of His earthly ministry, Jesus said to His disciples concerning the temple, "Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon one another, that shall not be thrown down." His disciples then asked, "Tell us, when shall these things come to pass, and what shall be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?" (Mat 24:1-2). He then warned them to beware of false prophets, and revealed a progression of conditions and events that would occur through 7 eras of God's Church climaxing (if mankind doesn't repent) in the great tribulation at the time of the end and His return (Joel 2:1,12-17; Mal 4:1-6; Mat 24:4-42; 2 Pet 3:9-10; Rev 2 & 3). "For then shall be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no nor ever shall be [again]. And unless those days be shortened, no flesh would be saved [alive]; but for the elect's ("eklektos," chosen's) sake those days shall be shortened" (Mat 24:21-22; Rev 12:12-17).

Then after His death and resurrection, just before His return to God the Father in Heaven, they again asked Him, "Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom of Israel?" He answered, "It is not for you to know a time or season which the Father has put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the latter end of the earth (or world)" (Acts 1:6-8). And He spoke to them saying, "All power has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and teach (make disciples) in all the nations, baptizing them ('in the name of Jesus Christ' - Acts 2:38)..., teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and know I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Mat 28:18-20).

Countdown through 7 Church Eras

Some 60 years later Jesus Christ revealed to the apostle John in prophetic visions details of what would come to pass before His return to deliver to the seven churches of God in Asia. The countdown of the 7 weeks to Pentecost represent the 7 consectutive eras of God's true church that would occur during those 2,000 years before the Messiah's return, and the completion of the spiritual harvest of the firstfruits of salvation.

The 7 church eras are represented by the 7 lamps of the menorah, representing the light of the God's Word to be proclaimed by the 7 churches eras to the world in their time restoring God law and preaching the Gospel (good News) message of the coming Kingdom of God, calling people to turn to God to keep His commandments and appointed assemblies (Holy Days (Lev 23), and warning of the judgment to come (Ex 25:31-40; 27;20-21; Deut 31:9-13; Mat 5:14-16; John 5:22-30; Heb 10:26-31; Rev 1:1-12,19-20; Rev 2 & 3; 12:1-6,11-17; 14:7; 20:11-13).

The 7 angels ("anggelos," meaning to proclaim, announce, messengers - may be man or spirit) of the 7 churches are each given a trumpet, representing their responsibility of preaching the gospel and warning of the judgment to come (Isa 58:1; Zech 4:2-7,11-14; Mat 28:19-20; Rev 1:20; 8:2,6-7...).

The 7 weeks to Pentecost and the 7 Sabbath weeks of years to the Jubilee are also prophetic of the 7 eras of the church each blowing their trumpet message before the return of Christ (Lev 25; Num 10:1-10; Isa 58:1-2; Rev 8:2). The completion of the harvest of firstfruits at Pentecost and the Jubilee represent the Kingdom of God when liberty from Satan's rule (captivity) will finally come to the world at Christ's return after the 7th trumpet sounds (Lev 25:8-10; Isa 61:1-2; Lk 4:16-21; Rev 10:7; 11:15).

Revelation reveals Satan would raise up false prophets and false religions and a great false church, a counterfeit of God's true religion and true church, and 7 Beast governments persecuting and martyring God's true messengers attempting to thwart the messages of the 7 church eras (Dan 7:11-27; 11:33-39,45; 12:1-3,7,13; Mat 5:10,12; John 15:20; 1 Thes 2:14-16; 2 Thes 2:3-4,8-12; Tit 1:14-16; 1 John 2:18-23; Rev 11:3-13; 12:13-17; 13:1-8,11-15; 17:1-18). In Revelation they are called - Mystery Babylon the Great (which actually began under Nimrod (Baal) and Ishtar (Ashtoreth) - Gen 10:8-10; 11:1-9; Judg 2:11-13; Jer 44:17-23), the mother of harlots (harlot religions and churches) and of the abominations of the earth. The great (universal) mother church would ride on 7 world ruling Beast governments (7 heads of the Beast), and would persecute people turning to God, before the return of the Messiah (Rev 17:1-14-18).

The 7 trumpet messages of the church eras (the messages also called the 7 thunders in Rev 10:4-7) warned of Satan's wrath especially against the churches proclaiming God's truth to the world - see (Mystery of the 7 Trumpets of Revelation). The warnings of the last three church era's trumpet messages are also called the three Woes (Rev 8:2,12-13). The first two Woes are tribulations and wars resulting from man's governments and religions following Satan, as his instruments of deception, evil and destruction (Mat 24:4-11,21-22; 2 Cor 11:3-4,12-15; Rev 9:1-12-21; 13:1-4...; 17:1-7). The third Woe represents the 7 last plagues of God's indignation poured out at the end-time (during the last part of the 6th trumpet warning message and killing a third of mankind - Rev 9:13-21; 14:6-20) on those at the end who will not repent and turn to Him from Satan's ways for forgiveness and reconciliation (Rev 15:1,5-8; 16:1-21; Rom 5:8-11).

The two days (2,000 years) and the 7 church eras are now almost up, and we are nearing the time of the final phase of the 2nd Woe (the great tribulation - Mat 24:11-22) and beginning the 3rd Woe. Remnants of all Church eras probably continue to exist at the end blowing their trumpets till they become a thunderous crescendo of God's warnings, as when Joshua defeated Jericho by marching around the city blowing the 7 trumpets for 7 days and 7 times on the 7th day on entering the promised land (Josh 6:1-20; Rev 2:25; 3:3,10-11;14-22).

Jesus said, the final throws of Satan's wrath and persecutions of God's people would occur just before His return, to test them, but some will be protected (Dan 11:35; Mat 24:9-22; 1 Cor 3:13-15; 1 Pet 3:13-18; 4:12-17; 5:4-11; Rev 3:10,14-19; 12:9-17). Then the King Messiah will come as King of kings and Lord of lords (Zech 12:1-11; Mal 3:1-4; Rev 11:15,19; 17:14; 19:1-16; 22:6-7,10-21).

Then Pentecost, called the Feast of Weeks and Harvest of the Firstfruits, representing the harvest of the firstfruits of salvation through the 7 church eras, will be completed. And the faithful will be resurrected to reign with Yahshua, the King Messiah at His return at the last (7th) trumpet (1 Cor 15:22-23,35-58; 1 Thes 4:13-18; Rev 11:15; 19:1,6-9; 20:4-6). And then they will begin fulfilling the fall spiritual harvest in God's plan of salvation pictured by the Day of Atonement, Feast of Tabernacles (Feast of Ingathering - Ex 34:22) and the 8th Day (also called the Last Day, the Great Day of the Feast - John 7:37-38), representing the resurrection of the rest of the dead in the Great White Throne [Judgement] - Rev 20:5,11-13; Eze 37:1-14; Isa 65:17-25; Lev 23:27-43).

When is Pentecost 2018?

Passover 2018 is on Friday, the 30th of March (begins sundown on evening before), the Wave Sheaf Offering and counting the 50 days to Pentecost begins on the "morrow after the Sabbath," which is Sunday, April 1st. Counting 7 weeks and one day or 50 days, beginning with April 1st takes us to Sunday, Mat 20th, Sivan 6 on the Hebrew Calendar), which is Pentecost 2018 (See Calendar).

Dates for Spring Holy Days & Pentecost

Calendar Year	1st of Nisan	Passover *	Days of Unleavened Bread *	Pentecost - (Sunday)*
2018*	March 17	March 30	Mar. 31 - Apr. 6	May 20
2019	April 6	April 19	Apr. 20-26	June 9
2020	March 26	April 8	Apr. 9-15	May 31
2021	March 14	March 27	Mar 28-Apr 3	May 16
2022	April 2	April 15	April 16-22	June 5

*Passover & All Holy Days begin at sundown of evening before.

Have a great Feast of Pentecost! For information concerning where you can keep the New Covenant Pentecost with an organized group and a faithful minister of Jesus Christ, you may contact a Church of God nearest you that believes in and is obeying Christ's instructions.

For more Biblical information about the One True Religion and Church of God, see "Mystery of PENTECOST...The One True Religion & Church of God.".